Atalanta lost but Gasperini smiles for Duván Zapata: “The important thing is that he is recovered”

In Atalanta they smile despite the defeat against Napoli on April 3. The reason: Duván Zapata, who has only played one game in 2022, recovered from the injury that has plagued him since last December.

The one who gave the good news about the coffee striker, who lived a dream first half of the campaign with the Bergamo team, was his technical director, Gian Piero Gasperini, at a press conference after the match with the Neapolitan squad. El Toro, in fact, was on the bench of substitutes, although the DT decided not to send him to the playing field to avoid a possible relapse.

In conversation with DAZN, the strategist also referred to the impact of Luis Fernando Muriel's injuries, especially at the beginning of the season, and Josip Ilicic, another of the team's pillars in recent years:

Although Atalanta was reinforced by an attacker like Jerémie Boga in the winter transfer market, Gasperini acknowledged that neither he nor the other players on the team have contributed what he expected on the offensive front. This is evidenced by the numbers: the gunner of the Nerazurra squad in Serie A 2021/22 is Zapata, yet he only disputed one commitment this year. Add 9 targets, plus 5 assists.

“Its characteristics are unique to our team, it gives presence and depth in the area while the other strikers start from further afield. Their presence will benefit the whole team,” said the DT.

El Toro was injured on December 21, the same day he was included in the list of the 100 best footballers in the world, made by The Guardian. During the match against Genoa he retired after a volley, in a clear choice of goal that compromised his right adductor, and, although the coaching staff set a recovery time of ten days, it took longer than imagined.

He returned to the courts on February 6 in a commitment to Cagliari for Serie A as a substitute for Luis Fernando Muriel. However, it took longer to enter (in the 58th minute) than to leave (minute 72). Despite his fleeting participation in this duel, the Colombian provided an assist José Luis Palomino to score the only goal of the confrontation.

Although one of the options for Zapata at that time was to undergo surgery, he opted for a less invasive, conservative, but also more delayed treatment, hence until now he has recovered. He was training in Seville.

It is expected that he will be able to count on his first minutes of play on Thursday, April 7, for the Europa League quarterfinals, visiting RB Leipzig. The urgency of his return is also due to the position Atalanta occupies today in Calcio, the seventh, because he is running out of space in continental competitions.

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